I hazard a guess that most of us, Pureland cultivators, would have fixed periods of recitation and unfixed periods of recitation.

For me, my unfixed periods could be confined within office hours, within the home when I doing housework for example, etc. I do have daily fixed periods as well (1 hour, between 9pm to 10pm), during which I fully concentrate on reciting Amitabha.

However, just before I start my fixed periods of recitation, I like motivate myself and push myself towards greater concentration by reminding myself the following:

Why I Recite Amitabha Buddha?1. Because the name Amitabha encompasses all my future happiness, bliss and wisdom; there is nothing that I need beyond Amitabha in the future2. Because I sincerely want to break all fetters that bound me to the life-and-death cycle3. Because I sincerely wish to have my lotus blossom as much as possible in Western Pureland4. Because I want to walk among the great shravakas and bodhisattvas in the Western Pureland

Do you motivate yourself in similar or other way? Or do you automatically (and easily) enter deep recitation ?

I recite for many reasons, sometimes I recite whenever somebody starts talking to me, just to slow down my mind's automatic-response mechanism.

In any sense of formal recitation I begin with the motivation that I am doing it for the benefit of all beings,and visualize Amitabha with Avalokiteshvara & Mahasthama on the left and right, respectively.And then I remember not to recite it with any motive whatsoever,just to recite it, not even to think about it,no "self-power" calculating anything,to just drop all thoughts about it altogether, and just recite....

Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.

PadmaVonSamba wrote:I recite for many reasons, sometimes I recite whenever somebody starts talking to me, just to slow down my mind's automatic-response mechanism.

In any sense of formal recitation I begin with the motivation that I am doing it for the benefit of all beings,and visualize Amitabha with Avalokiteshvara & Mahasthama on the left and right, respectively.And then I remember not to recite it with any motive whatsoever,just to recite it, not even to think about it,no "self-power" calculating anything,to just drop all thoughts about it altogether, and just recite.

I should add to that, I "recite" mentally when a person starts talking to me. I don't just start chanting out loud! (that would be rather rude)

Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.

In a fixed period of recitation I would also repent and make the four Bodhisattva vows. After the recitation it is important to transfer the merit to Western Pure Land and explicitly solidify one's vow to be reborn there.

...which gives rise to thoughts like... Who is da cat? ... What is it that I feed dat cat? ... What did I mean by I forgot? I obviously remember it now. But how could I remember something unless it was forgotten? ... Who am I anyway? ... Am I dat cat? ... If no, why not? ... Who is Buddha? ... What is Buddha? ... Is dat cat Buddha? ... Am I Buddha? ... Darn!

some of the time - everything that has been done for me by others.most of the time - blind passions.

All beings since their first aspiration till the attainment of Buddhahood are sheltered under the guardianship of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who, responding to the requirements of the occasion, transform themselves and assume the actual forms of personality.

Thus for the sake of all beings Buddhas and Bodhisattvas become sometimes their parents, sometimes their wives and children, sometimes their kinsmen, sometimes their servants, sometimes their friends, sometimes their enemies, sometimes reveal themselves as devas or in some other forms.